At a recent Wadi Digital event, Paul Gladstone took the stage to address one of the hottest topics in marketing today: how AI-driven search is transforming the way people find, engage with, and trust content. Paul, who has more than two decades of experience in digital marketing, didn’t sugarcoat it. SEO as we’ve known it is shifting dramatically. The playbook is evolving, and the winners will be those who adapt fast.
From SEO to GEO: A New Era of Search
Paul started by challenging the audience’s reliance on old SEO habits. For years, search was predictable. You optimized a page for keywords, Google indexed it, and if you did things right, traffic followed. Anyone with a decent website and a bit of technical knowledge could play the game.
That’s no longer the case.
Today, Paul explained, the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) means it’s not just about ranking. It’s about being recommended and cited. AI platforms like Gemini and ChatGPT are rewriting the rules. Instead of just returning a list of links, they synthesize information from across the web, pulling from trusted sources like Wikipedia, YouTube, Reddit, and LinkedIn.
For marketers, that means visibility is no longer limited to Google’s top 10 results. Your brand has to show up where AI platforms are sourcing information.
Why E-E-A-T Still Matters
Paul emphasized Google’s framework of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) as more critical than ever. With AI scouring the web for reliable answers, it’s not enough to publish keyword-stuffed content. You need to demonstrate credibility across every channel where your audience might encounter you.
That means:
- Publishing content that solves real problems
- Keeping data fresh and accurate
- Building trust through reviews, case studies, and testimonials
- Being present across multiple platforms, not just your website
“Your name is everywhere now,” Paul said. “If you don’t demonstrate that you know what you’re talking about, people will scroll past you. And AI will too.”
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The Death of Predictable Traffic
One of the most striking points Paul made was about the reality of zero-click searches. According to him, 75% of all queries today never result in a click to a website. AI overviews and featured snippets are delivering answers directly in search results, leaving brands without the visitor traffic they once relied on.
So the question becomes: what do you do with the users who do make it to your site?
Here’s where Paul shifted the focus. It’s not just about traffic anymore. It’s about conversions and value. You can’t control how much traffic you’ll lose to AI platforms, but you can control the experience of the visitors who land on your pages.
Helpful Content Is Non-Negotiable
Paul outlined what “helpful content” really looks like in this new landscape:
- User-focused: Don’t just talk about your product. Solve a pain point.
- Fresh and accurate: Outdated numbers or claims can tank credibility.
- Engaging and digestible: Think short videos, bullet points, and scannable content.
- Evidence-backed: Use data, case studies, and research to prove your claims.
- Visually distinct: Custom images and design elements, not recycled stock visuals.
In short, copy-pasting from AI isn’t a strategy. Without unique insights and value, your content won’t survive in a GEO-driven search environment.
Trust Signals at Every Stage
Paul pointed to trust signals as essential. Whether it’s logos of well-known clients, industry awards, or customer testimonials, these need to be placed high on your web pages.
Using tools like Microsoft Clarity, you can see that most users don’t scroll very far. That means if your trust-building content is buried at the bottom, you’ve already lost 75-80% of potential buyers.
He also highlighted the importance of optimizing “Get a Demo” pages – a critical point of conversion that too many companies treat as just a form. Adding testimonials, case studies, and value propositions directly to these pages can make or break conversions.
The Funnel Has Shifted
Traditionally, marketers thought of the funnel as a straight line: traffic comes in through search, users explore the site, and eventually convert. But Paul argued that the top of the funnel now happens off-site.
Users are doing their research in AI platforms, social media threads, and community forums long before they land on your website. And when they do visit, their journey is rarely linear. They might bounce between your site, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Reddit before coming back to request a demo.
That’s why he stressed bottom-of-funnel optimization. If you can’t convert the traffic you do get, the rest of the funnel doesn’t matter.
Attribution is Dead
Another bold statement Paul made: attribution is dead.
With GA4 limitations, privacy regulations in Europe, and the messy multi-device, multi-channel user journey, it’s nearly impossible to pinpoint exactly where a lead originated. Instead of obsessing over clicks and bounce rates, Paul encouraged marketers to focus on:
- Direct traffic growth (an indicator of brand demand)
- Demo requests and form fills
- Newsletter subscriptions
- Product page traffic
In other words, measure success by conversions and brand interest, not vanity metrics.
The 80/20 Rule of GEO
Paul wrapped up with a reminder of Pareto’s principle: 80% of results come from 20% of efforts. Instead of trying to optimize every page, build topical authority around clusters that drive meaningful traffic.
This doesn’t require a massive team or huge budgets. As Paul illustrated with a case study of a one-person operation that saw over 1,000% growth in site sessions within four months, what matters most is:
- Knowing your target audience
- Creating content they actually value
- Engaging on the platforms where they spend time
The Takeaway
The future of organic search is here, and it looks very different from the past. GEO is the new SEO.
To thrive in this environment, marketers need to:
- Shift from keyword obsession to being cited and recommended
- Build trust through E-E-A-T principles
- Focus less on traffic and more on conversions and bottom-of-funnel impact
- Adapt content strategies month by month based on data, not rigid annual plans
- Create helpful, fresh, user-first content that stands out in a sea of AI-generated sameness
As Paul put it, “If you don’t know your target audience and where they sit, you won’t reach them – whether it’s on social, AI search, or traditional search. Focus on creating value, and you’ll be pulled into LLMs, cited in AI overviews, and drive results all the way through the funnel.”
